Our subject is of excellent ancestry, both his parents, Peter and Mary (Woodling) Bowman, belonging to good families in the Keystone State. In the vicinity of Harrisburg that worthy couple were living when the birth of our subject took place, his natal day being October 27, 1843. He is the seventh son in a family consisting of fourteen children. Two of his brothers, Christopher and Daniel, volunteered during the Civil War, were taken prisoners, and while Christopher was soon exchanged and died from exposure, Daniel was literally starved to death in Libby Prison.

When our subject was a babe his parents removed to Logan County, Ohio, where the father followed farming pursuits, with an excellent knowledge of which young Bowman was reared. In the fall of 1860 he began buying horses for William Moran, of Cincinnati, continuing to employ himself thus after the breaking out of the Civil War, when Mr. Moran furnished equines to the Government. Young Bowman finally came West in order to escape the draft and after stopping in Peoria a week or two, went to the home of a brother in Fulton County. He was there captured, taken back to the Buckeye Capital and turned over to the army officers, but escaping the next night made his way to Burlington, Iowa, where he secured work in a livery stable under his given name, Benjamin Franklin.

After a time Mr. Bowman opened a livery stable in LaHarpe, Hancock County, Ill., sojourning in that place ten years. He then removed to Nauvoo, a year later returned to LaHarpe, and in another twelvemonth took up his abode in Astoria, still following the same business. He built and managed the Central House in connection with his livery four years. In 1880 he came to Peoria, opened a stable, soon bough his present premises, and as before noted, is now the owner of one of the most complete livery outfits anywhere to be found. He not only understands what makes up a thorough establishment, but possesses the straightforward and manly nature which leads him to treat with honor and courtesy all with whom he has dealings and to insist upon his employees showing an equal consideration for the rights and wishes of others. He is correspondingly respected by business men, visitors to the city who may have occasion to patronize his establishment, and many residents who supply him with custom.

The marriage rites of Mr. Bowman and Miss Florence May Moon were celebrated at the residence of the bride’s father, Asa Moon, in Dallas City, Ill., in 1875. Mrs. Bowman is a beautiful woman, whose charming manners are the outward expression of the love and sympathy of her heart. To her husband her price is far above rubies, to their only child, Pearl, she is mother and companion in one, and to many friends she is a highly valued counselor and associate. It is worthy of remark that Mr. Bowen votes exclusively for temperance men.

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